Gas cleaning apparatus



7, 1954 H. A. WINTERMUTE GAS CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 3, 1951 INVENTOR HARRY A.WINTERMUTE ATTORNEYS 1954 H. A. WINTERMUTE2,696,273

GAS CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORHARRY A. WINTERMUTE (imea 2M4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,696,273GAS CLEANING APPARATUS Application August 3, 1951, Serial No. 240,223

4 Claims. (Cl. 183-7) This invention relates to apparatus for cleaninggases containing suspended particles and particularly to apparatus forsubjecting gases to both centrifugal and electrical forces.

A principal object of the invention is to provide apparatus for removingsuspended particles from gases by subjecting the gases to the affect ofcentrifugal force while they are under the action of an electricalfield.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for removingsuspended particles from gases by centrifugal and electrical forcesincluding means for controlling the distribution of the gases during thetreatment.

In general, the apparatus of the invention comprises complementarydischarge and collecting electrode means defining a plurality ofintercommunicating concentric paths for the flow of gas, means forintroducing gas to be cleaned into at least two of said concentricpaths, and flow directing means for controlling the distribution ofincoming gas between said paths.

Apparatus embodying the principles of the invention may take variousforms. Illustrative embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawingsin which Fig. l is a sectional elevation of one form of the gas cleaningapparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of another form of the gas cleaningapparatus of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail showing of a modification of theapparatus of Fig. 4.

In Figs. 1-3, 10 is the casing of the gas cleaning apparatus having atangential gas inlet 11 and a hopper bottom 10a. concentrically locatedin the casing 10 are a central conduit 12, opening at the bottom intothe lower part of the casing and continuing at the top through the roofof the casing to provide a gas outlet 12a, and cylindrical member 13,intermediate casing 10 and central conduit 12, which open at the top andbottom. The lower end of cylinder 13 preferably extends a substantialdistance below the bottom of central conduit 12 as shown.

Concentric rows of discharge electrodes 14 are suspended in the annularspaces between casing 10 and cylinder 13 and between cylinder 13 andconduit 12. The electrodes 14 are hung from ring-shaped tubes 15 and 15awhich are supported from the roof of the casing by insulators 16 andinsulator bushing 17, the latter carrying the conductor for energizingthe discharge electrode system. The discharge electrodes are maintainedtaut and in proper spacing by weights 18 and pipe ring 19 at their lowerends.

Mounted in the inlet 11 is an adjustable vane 20, advantageously hingedto cylindrical member 13 adjacent the inlet opening thereof, as shownparticularly in Fig. 2. The position of vane 20 can be adjusted byhandle 21 to control the relative proportion of the gas passing into theouter path between the casing and cylindrical member 13 and that passingdirectly into the inner path between cylindrical member 13 and centralconduit 12.

When the discharge electrodes 14 are energized at a high potential inaccordance with the principles of the electrical precipitation art thecomplementary surface of casing 10 and cylindrical members 12 and 13provide collecting electrode surfaces upon which particles suspended inthe gas passing through the apparatus will be precipitated.

The action of the electrical discharge and field is supplemented by theaction of centrifugalforce on the suspended particles as the gastraverses the interelectrode spaces in vertical paths to reach the lowerend of outlet conduit 12. Y V

In the apparatus of Figs. 4 and 6, 40 is the casing of the apparatushaving a tangential gas inlet 41. Centrally suspended in the casing fromthe top thereof is a cylindrical cage 42 formed of angularly positionedlouvre plates 43. The cage 42 is closed at the top and opens at thebottom into outlet conduit 44.

Cylindrical grid 45 of wire screen or perforated plate is suspendedbetween casing 40 and cage 42, from insulators 46 mounted on the top ofthe casing. Grid 45 is energized at high potential through inlet bushing47.

Adjustable vane 48 hinged to grid 45-adjacent the inlet thereto may beadjusted by means of handle 49 to control the distribution of gasbetween the inner and outer paths between casing 40 and grid 45 andbetween grid 45 and cage 42, or to direct gas from the inner path to theouter path. Vane 48 and handle 49 should be made of insulating material.Flow distributor 50 mounted on the interior of cage 42 improves thedistribution of gas between the upper and lower portion of the treatmentzones.

Energization of grid 45 at high potential provides an ionizing dischargeand precipitating field which coacts with the centrifugal forces on theinwardly spiralling gas to remove suspended particles therefrom.

The louvre members 43 forming cage 42 may be given serrated outer edgesto improve electrical discharge therefrom and the outer edges may bebent into radial id irecton to improve the discharge as shown at 43a inBy suitable adjustment of the distributing vanes the gas flowing in theconcentric paths may be maintained at high velocities which increasedthe centrifugal forces acting on the suspended particles and alsoimproves the electrical precipitation action by reducing back coronadischarges. The position of the vanes may be adjusted manually or may becontrolled automatically in response to a gas flow measuring device (notshown) in the inlet or outlet flue.

I claim:

1. Gas cleaning apparatus comprising a cylindrical casing, a pluralityof conductive elements positioned to form a gas penetrable cylinderconcentric with said casing and defining a plurality of concentricannular gas flow spaces, foraminous conductive cylinder insulatedlysuspended concentrically between said casing and said gas penetrablecylinder, means for electrically energizing said foraminous cylinder,means for introducing gas to be cleaned tangentially into the concentricannular gas flow spaces on each side of said foraminous cylinder, flowdirecting means for the distribution of gas between said concentricannular gas flow spaces and gas outlet means extending from the interiorof said gas penetrable cylinder.

2. Gas cleaning apparatus comprising discharge and collecting electrodemeans defining a plurality of concentric annular gas flow spaces, meansfor the introduction of gas to be cleaned tangentially into saidconcentric spaces, flow directing means controlling the distribution ofgas to said spaces, the electrode means separating said spaces includingat least one opening for the passage of gas from the outer of saidspaces to the inner of said spaces downstream with respect to said flowdirecting means whereby the portion of the gas stream directed into theouter of the spaces by the flow directing means is serially passedthrough all of said concentric spaces, and gas outlet means extendingfrom the innermost concentric space.

3. Gas cleaning apparatus comprising a cylindrical casing, at least twospaced concentric cylindrical members in said casing defining aplurality of concentric annular gas flow spaces, means for theintroduction of gas to be cleaned tangentially into said concentricspaces, a flow directing vane pivotally supported above the edge of theouter of said concentric cylindrical members in the fiowpath of thetangential inlet for controlling the distribution of gas to saidconcentric spaces, at least one opening in the outer of said cylindricalmembers for the passage of gas from the outer of said spaces to theinner Qf Saidspaces downstream with respect to said flow directing Vanewhereby the portion of the gas stream directed into, the outer of thespaces by the flow directing vane is serially passed through all of saidconcentri c spaces, and gas outlet means extending from the innermostconcentric space.

4. The gas cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 3 inGl-uding dischargeelectrodes positioned in said concentric spaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number 5 1,843,839 1,970,0482,085,349

10 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rader Feb. 2, 1932 MarshallAug. 14, 1934 Wintermute June 29, 1937 FQREIGN PATENTS.

Country Date Austria Feb. 10, 1930 Germany Sept. 7, 1931 Germany Feb.6', 1932

